Chandrima Bhattacharya speaks at the IMA conference in Burdwan on Sunday.
Picture by Krishna Das

Burdwan, Sept. 2: The min
ister of state for health today
criticised government docto­rs
for being “irregular” and said
biometric cards would be in
troduced to keep tabs on their
attendance.
Chandrima Bhattacharya
said on the sidelines of an In
dian Medical Association
(IMA) conference in Burdwan:

“After the government assum­
ed power, it asked government
doctors several times to go to
hospitals regularly and be
sympathetic to patients. But to
our dismay, we find that noth
ing has changed. Doctors don’t
go on their rounds regularly.
Even though we ha­ve instruct
ed doctors to attend to patients
regularly, the missives have
yielded no result.”
“I have repeatedly asked
doctors to adhere to their duty
hours. But all my appeals have
so far fallen on deaf ears.

As
doctors’ salaries are paid with
public money, they must be
committed to people,” the min¬
ister added.
Bhattacharya told reporte
rs that the health department
would soon introduce the biometric cards for doctors in
government hospitals.
“These cards will have to
be swiped (while entering
and leaving the hospital). |

This way, we will be able to
monitor the attendance of
doctors.”
Addressing the conference
earlier, Bhattacharya said: “It
is important for a doctor to be
have well with patients and
their relatives. I appeal to the
IMA to ensure better quality
of health care services in gov
ernment hospitals.”
The minister said fairprice medicine shops would be
opened in 35 government hos
pitals. “Patients will get 30 per
cent discount on medicines at
these shops.”

Asked about Bhat
tacharya’s comments, a doctor
at Burdwan Medical College
Hospital said: “If my work at
the hospital is completed in
two hours, why should I |
remain there for a few hours
more? I am not neglecting my
duties. But at the same time,
there is no point hanging
around.”